Reciprocating ironer



Sept. 25, 1934.. c. A. PICKENS RECIPROCATING IRONER Filed June 27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m lzw Patented Sept. 1934 RECIPROCATING IRONER ClaudeA. Pickens, Spokane, Wash. Application June 27 1932, Serial No. 619,389

3 Claims.

My invention relates to reciprocating ironers and certain objects of the invention are to pro- .vide an ironer comprising a casing having means for reciprocativelymoving an iron back and forth, means for automatically reversing the direction of movement of the iron at the ends of .its strokes, and manual means for stopping and reversing the iron at any point intermediate the limits of its strokes. Further objects are to provide a snapover spring switch that is adapted to retain a clutch in engagement with the means for moving the iron back and forth. Still further objects are to provide an ironing board with means for retaining same in engageable relation with the iron, and means for automatically and manually causing said board to momentarily move out of engagement with the iron whereby the fabric that is being. ironed may be shifted in readiness for the nextstroke of theiron. Other objects are ,to provide means for varyingthe tension of engagement of the board with the iron, means for placing the clutch in an intermediate or neutral position whereby themovements of the iron is stopped, and other novel details of construction and arrangement as hereinafter set. forth.

With the foregoing objects in view, the'invention consists ofthe novel construction, adaptation, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. These objects are accomplished by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawingsywhereina-e s e Figure'l is a generalview, in perspective of the pironer; Fig.2is a view in vertical section taken on a broken line2 2. of Fig. 6; Fig. 3 is a view in; horizontal section taken on a brokenline 3 -3 of Fig. 6; Fig.;4- is a fragmentary view in side eleivation showing the means and operation for putting the ironerin aneutralposition and for starting the iron in the forward or outward direction when released, and also the snap-over spring switch for holding the clutch in engagement with the gears; Fig. 5 is a view in horizontal section taken on a broken line'5-5 of Fig. 6 and showing ,the sli dable arrangement for the board supporting bracket; Fig. 6 is a general view in side elevation of the ironer with one side half of the casing removed Fig-fl is a view in vertical section takenon a broken*line77 of Fig.6 through the 1 head arm;and showing the. slide arrangement for the iron; and Fig. 8is a view in horizontal sectiontaken on a broken line -8- 8 of Fig. '7 and showing the contacts for carrying electric cur- .rent tothe iron. l

Referring-now v.to the drawings throughout which like reference numerals designate like parts, the casing comprises two upright halves that are secured together by bolts or screws 5 and said casing consists of a base or pedestal 6, an upright body portion 7 and a head arm 8. Said casing may have detachable plates 9 secured thereto-for access when inspecting, cleaning or oiling the interior mechanism, and the head arm has a cap or plug 10 closing its forward end and a plate 11 serving as a closure for an opening in its rear end where same joins the upright portion of the casing.

' Extending centrally and horizontally through the head arm 8 is a worm shaft 12 whose forward end is journaled into the cap 10 and whose rear end is journaled into the plate 11. A motor 13 is secured exteriorly to said plate with its shaft projecting into the casing and provided with a pinion 14. Said pinion meshes with a spur gear 15 which has a bevel gear 16 integrally or fixedly connected to its forward portion. Said gears are loosely or 'revolubly mounted on the worm shaft and are prevented from axial movement thereon by a bracket arm 17 secured to the casing and having a forked end engaging or bearing against a reduced portion between'the two gears as shown in Fig. 3. An idler bevel gear 18 is mounted interiorly on the casing and meshes with the gear 16 and also with another bevel gear 19 which is likewise loosely mountedon the worm shaft 12 and prevented from axial movement by a collar the motor 13.

Slidably mounted on the work shaft 12 between the'gears 16 and 19 is a clutch member 21 :Said

clutch member may be prevented from revolving on said shaft by splines 22 or by another suitable means and may be slidably moved back and forth into engagement with clutch portions on the gear s16 and 19 whereby the shaft l2 iscaused to revolve in opposite directions as will be understood. A shifter fork lever 23 is pivotally connected at 2a to acontrol fork 25 mounted'on one end' of -'a control rod 26 whose remote end'is slidably mounted in a recess 27'provided in the closure cap 10. The shifter fork lever 23 is L- 'shaped' andis pivoted to the casing at 28 where its two arms join each other. The shorter or rearwardly projecting arm of said shifter fork lever has a snap-over device comprising a short :rod '29 pivotally andv loosely connected thereto and pivotally connected to' the plate 11 in any desirable manner, and a coiled spring 30 mounted ,onsaidrod.

A traveller nut 31 is mounted on the worm shaft 12 and is guided in its movements by splines 32 projecting from the head easing arm and fitting into grooves in its sides. Said traveller nut has a depending arm 33 that is connected by a universal joint at 34 to the iron 35. An upstanding fork 36 on said nut slidably engages the control rod 26. When current is turned on by means of switches, as shown at 3'7 in Fig. l, the worm shaft is caused to rotate thus moving the traveller nut 31. When said traveller reaches the limit of its outward movement its fork 36 engages a spring cushioned stop 38 fixed on the control rod 26 thus moving said rod forward and carrying the clutch member 21 into locking engagement with the bevel gear 19 whereby the rotary direction of the work shaft is reversed and whereby the traveller nut is caused to move in the opposite direction. The spring 30 of the snap-over device bearing against the now raised short arm of the shifter fork lever 23 retains the clutch member 21 in engagement with the bevel gear 19 as will be understood. When the traveller nut 31 reaches the limit of its inward movement its fork 36 engages the spring cushioned end 39 of the control fork thus moving the clutch member into locking engagement with the gear 16 whereby the rotary direction of the worm shaft is again reversed and the direction of movement of the traveller nut is also reversed. The snap over spring bearing against the now lowered short arm of the shifter lever 23 retains the clutch member in engagement with said gear 16 until same is again moved.

The short arm of the shifter lever 23 has a rod 40 connected therethrough and said rod extends downwardly to a connection with the end of a foot lever 41. Pressure upon said foot lever raises said rod and causes a spring cushion 42 to lift the short arm of the shifter lever thus moving the clutch member 21 over to engagement with the bevel gear 19 Means is thus provided for causing the traveller nut 31 to move the iron inwardly from any point between the limits of its movements. A spring 43 normally retains the rod in the lowered position. Another foot lever 44 has a rod 45 extending upwardly through a guide 46 and terminates in a bifurcated triangular f-ra-me portion 47. In the normally raised position of this rod, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the shifter lever 23 is free to operate back and forth. Said shifter lever has a roller 48 which rides on the base of the triangular frame 47. Pressure upon the foot lever 44 causes said rod, or the triangular portion thereof, to draw said roller to the center into the vertex of said triangle thus causing the shifter lever to move the clutch member 21 to a midway or neutral position between the bevel gears 16 and 19 and stopping the movement of the traveller nut Bland the iron 35. There is a small lever 49 pivoted between the bifurcated triangular frame 47 and having a spring 50 so that same will not interfere with centering the roller but will start said roller to move to the right as the pedal 44 is released thus pivotally lowering the=short arm of the shifter lever 23 and causing the snap-over device, which is on dead center or in alignment with said short arm when the clutch member is in a neutral position, to move the shifter lever and to thus carry the clutch member 21 into engagement with the bevel gear 16 and thus always starting the traveller nut and iron on their outward movement when said pedal '44 is released. It will now be apparent that the pedal 41 will always start the iron back from any position while the pedal 44 will stop the iron and start it outward from any position. Thus when a short stroke of the iron is desired pressure is placed on the levers 41 and 44 at the proper time before the iron reaches the limits of its strokes.

An ironing board 51 is supported in engageable relation with the iron 35 by means of a bracket 52 which is slidably mounted on upstanding rods 53 fixedly secured to the body portion 7 of the casing. Coiled springs 54 on said rods hold the board in yielding engagement with the iron and also hold the rod 45 in the upward position. A cam lever 55 may be used to vary the tension of the'springs 54 and thus regulate the pressure of the board against the iron. An L-shaped lever 56 is pivoted to the casing with one of its ends projecting exteriorly thereof and provided with an adjusting screw 57 that is arranged to be engaged by the depending arm 33 of the traveller nut 31 at the limit of its inward movement. The other end of the L-shaped lever is connected by a link 58 with the slidable end portion of the bracket 52. By means of this arrangement the board 51 is lowered away from the iron 35 at each inward stroke of the iron thus allowing a garment that is being ironed to be moved over in readiness for the next stroke of the iron, it being understood that said board is raised when the iron begins to move outward. The bracket 52 is also provided with a forked finger 59 which is engaged by a collar 60 fixed on the rod 45 thus pulling the board down when the lever 44 is depressed.

The slot 61 in which the depending arm 33 travels is provided with upturned flanges 62, as shown in Fig. 7, which flanges prevent any oil or .grease from dripping down from the head arm 8 and soiling the goods that are being ironed. The iron 35 is double pointed and the universal joint 34 ensures equal pressure on the goods at all times. The iron is detachable at this point so that same may be changed or removed whenever desired. The means for carrying electric current to the iron for heating purposes comprises two insulated metal strips 63 extending along the side walls of the head arm 8 and contact brushes 64 are carried on the depending arm 33 of the traveller nut 31 which brushes engage said strips. The current is carried from said brushes by a cord 65 and 'a plug '66 may be provided for said cord and adapted to be inserted into a socket in the iron in the ordinary manner as is well understood.

Having thus described my invention, it being understood that the device shown and illustrated is merely intended to portray one means of reducing the principles of my invention to practice and that minor changes in its construction and arrangement may be resorted to without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:

1. In a reciprocating ironer comprising a casing and a worm shaft mounted therein, an iron moved longitudinally by rotation of the worm shaft, and means for automatically reversing the movements of the iron alternately at the limits of its movements, the combination of an ironing board disposed in engagement with the iron, and means whereby the board is automatically lowered out of engagement with the iron at each inward limit of its'str'okes.

'2. In a reciprocating i-roner comprising a casing and a worm shaft mounted therein, an iron moved longitudinally by rotation of the worm shaft, and means for automatically reversing the P means for automatically reversing the movements of the iron alternately at the limits of its movements, and operator operated means for neutralizing the clutch means, the combination of an ironing board disposed in engagement with the iron, means whereby the board is automatically lowered away from the iron at each stroke thereof, and said means being connected with the clutch neutralizing means so that, upon operation of said neutralizing means, the board will be moved by the operator away from the iron.

CLAUDE A. PICKENS. 

